Thai Peanut “Zoodle” Salad

I hear there is a new iPhone 6 and other fancy tech releases, but my most exciting gadget of late is a SPIRALIZER. If you are in the health foodie world, particularly in the Instagram-land, you definitely know what this is. For those of you who don’t, prepare to be amazed (or not, but just pretend). It is a device that turns veggies into curly noodles! See photo below. Which explains why I call my spiralized zucchini “zoodles”. I feel like a little kid at Christmas with this new toy, and it has given me a whole new reason to be adventurous in the kitchen. The recipe below is my favorite spiralizer dish so far, and it even got the seal of approval from my non-health-nut friends. A couple of people at the potluck I brought this to said they didn’t even realize they weren’t eating actual noodles!

If you are interested in purchasing a spiralizer, they are pretty inexpensive on amazon. Here’s the one I bought. However, if you don’t want one, and you’d like a different way to make zoodles or something close, here are some great methods on Wiki How. No matter what your zucchini looks like in the end, this thai peanut veggie salad will be delicious!

Although I thought I had truly transitioned to fall with my pumpkin pancakes, the sun and potluck event really brought the summer back into me. So I made one last summer recipe, and it was an excellent decision. The vegetables in this salad are all raw (except for the corn, which is lightly boiled), which gives it a nice crunch and bright flavor. Due to the extreme healthfulness of all the raw veggies, I created a creamy and sweet dressing (heavy on the peanut flavor) to balance out the lightness. This is a sweet and tangy peanut sauce that would be perfect with all kinds of dishes, and will definitely be used on stir-fries and salads in the future.

Peanuts sometimes get a bad rap now that almonds and walnuts have taken the forefront in superfood nuts, but peanuts have a lot to offer (assuming you aren’t allergic – if you are, use almonds!) They are definitely less expensive than the average nut, and have more protein and folate than any other variety. Folate isn’t just beneficial for pregnant women either! It’s known to have brain-boosting properties for everyone, and some research shows it can help prevent depression and dementia in older people. And that is all for my little peanut pep talk.

As always, feel free to substitute other veggies, such as cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, etc. I served this as a side dish at a potluck, but it could also be a main dish, and perfect as a cold to-go salad to bring to work or school. It would also be delicious topped with tofu or chicken for a heartier meal. I hope you all enjoy making and eating this zoodle salad as much as I did!

Ingredients:

• 3 zucchinis, spiralized or shredded (see notes above)
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 ears corn, shucked, boiled, and kernels cut
• 1/4 cup peanut halves
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Juice of one lime
• 1/2 in piece of ginger root, grated
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp water, if needed

Directions:

1. Using a whisk, mix peanut butter, maple syrup, sesame oil, lime juice, grated ginger, and salt in a small bowl until creamy. If too thick, add a little water.
2. Mix together zucchini noodles, shredded carrots, bell pepper, corn kernels, green onion, and cilantro.
3. Toss zoodles and veggies with peanut sauce and mix well.
4. Top with peanuts and sesame seeds.